No Way Out
by HERBIVORE MUNCH
Summary: When Blackwargreymon has Tai and Sora trapped, can he finaly tell her how he feels before time runs out? Taiora, obviously, with an eventual Takari.
1. No Way Out: The Literal

So, first fanfic, enjoy and review. Figure out the ages. Mid season 2, before Blackwargreymon dies, obviously. All taiora here, but for how long?

Please don't be discouraged by the quality of this first chapter. I urge you to push through because the rest is much better than the beginning.

Thanks XD

No way out...(the literal)

Blackwargreymon had them pinned.  
It was just a routine control spire run Tai and Sora and their partners were handling. All of a sudden, Blackwargreymon appeared out of nowhere and started shooting the place up. With the power Azulongmon gave them, Biyomon and Agumon were able to digivolve and warp digivolve into Garudamon and Wargreymon, but even the powers of a mega and an ultimate couldn't handle the enraged Blackwargreymon. With a cliff and waterfall behind them and Blackwargreymon in front, things were looking bleak.  
Blackwargreymon charged up a Terror Destroyer ball, but before he could let it fly, Wargreymon flew in and knocked him off course. The ball of dark energy went right by Tai and Sora, but found ground in the cliff-top above. The ground began to shake as rocks started falling. Tai dove to cover Sora, but was too late. A rock the size of an orange struck her on the head, knocking her unconscious and leaving a large wound on her fore head.  
"Sora!" Tai screamed running over to her.  
"Sora!" Garudamon screamed, letting out the most powerful WingBlade she had ever created. The blast was enough to stun Blackwargreymon long enough to find a hiding spot. Tai frantically searched for one as Wargreymon held his dark counterpart off. Tai thought he saw something dark behind the waterfall and decided to hope it was a cave. Tai picked up Sora and ran for the falls, while Garudamon distracted Blackwargreymon with another emotional WingBlade. Wargreymon and Garudamon quickly retreated into the cave. The made a snap decision to seal it off, so they both let out their most powerful attacks. Rocks fell from the ceiling, blocking off their cave from the rest of the world. Unfortunately, that blast took the last of the power out of the digimon and they de-digivolved into their rookie stages. It was pitch black.  
Agumon felt around the cave for something to burn and found some sticks scattered all throughout. He made a small fire to light up and see where they were.  
Agumon decided to explore, hopefully finding a way out. Biyomon sat in the corner still recovering from the fight.  
Tai had lay Sora down on a patch of moss growing on the side of the cave. He knelt over her, tears running down his face, his body rocked with sobs.  
"Sora, you have to wake up..." he cried. He tore his sleeve off and started to wipe the blood off her head. "Please... You gotta..." His tears fell on her cheek as he cleaned her wound the best he could; a feat not that impressive. Her body was cold, so he lay down next to her and held her to keep her warm. Tai thought back to everything they'd been through over the past years. The first day in the digital world, Tai thought Sora was acting a little different than he'd known her to act. He thought it was just the new environment, but he was later proven wrong. After defeating Apocalymon the whole group went to a party thrown at the school. Everyone was happy except for Sora. Tai was just goofing around, having fun when he saw her standing alone looking sad. He walked over to her and asked her if she wanted to dance. Her face lit bright red, but she agreed. They laughed and danced together all night. They even slow-danced together, held tightly together. Sora rested her head on Tai's shoulder and started to cry slightly.  
"What's wrong, Sora?" Tai asked.  
She wiped the tears out of her eyes with her arm. "Nothing." She smiled up, looking him in the eyes. Tai could tell something was plaguing her: a point emphasized when she surprised them both. Before anyone could stop her, she threw her lips on his. Tai was stunned. He'd never thought of Sora that way before, but as the kiss went on, he started to give in; both to the kiss and to Sora. He suddenly felt all these new emotions for her. But just as soon as he realized it, Sora broke off, blushing ridiculously. "I...have to go-" she stammered, pulling herself out of his arms and off the floor, leaving Tai alone and confused.  
The next day, Sora appeared at his apartment. They went out into the hall where Sora apologized for the night before; how she didn't know what came over her and all. She said she liked Tai for a long time, and the moment seemed perfect. She told him that her feelings were now over and he need not worry any more. Tai saw such certainty in her eyes that he just couldn't bring himself to tell her that he liked her too. Her cheeks were tearstained, and he knew this was not an easy decision to come by. He didn't want to make her feel like she fought an internal conflict for nothing. He thanked her for her honesty and told her he wouldn't hold it against her. They hugged and she went home and that was it...  
Until this.  
Months later, trapped in a cave with two rookie digimon and the girl he loved lying unconscious next to him. Things couldn't get much worse.  
Tai dozed off with Sora's bloody head on his chest. The fire was dying and there was no water to be found. I few hours past and Biyomon went to go find Agumon, knowing that Sora was in the best hands. She found him trying to carry a large log back to burn for heat and light, but he was too weak. The two digimon managed to drag it back and found a little trickle of water on their way. Agumon went to wake up Tai.  
"Tai," he said, poking him with a stick. "Tai wake up."  
"Huh...wha..."  
"Tai I found some water. I'll bet Sora's getting thirsty."  
Tai took off with Agumon towards the stream they had found.  
"Well this is all good, Agumon, but how're we s'posed to get it too her?"  
"Well, I don't know..."  
Tai had an idea. He took off his shirt and soaked it in the stream until it was full of water. He then rushed it back to camp, sliding in next to Sora.  
"Here, Sora." he said, opening her mouth and twisting the shirt until all the water he could get was out. Most of it got in her mouth. She started to cough.  
"I think its working!" Agumon exclaimed. He and Biyomon linked arms and started dancing around the little fire.  
"Sora?" Tai whispered in her ear. "Sora, it's time to get up now. Sora?"  
There was no reply. But he saw her breathing get stronger, so he took that to mean it was working. He uses the no-longer-wet-yet-still-mildly-damp shirt to wipe more blood off her head. He lay down next to her again and held it on like a bandage. Soon he was asleep, with her head on his chest.  
As he slept, Agumon and Biyomon realized that it was getting kinda stuffy in their little cave. In fact, they could see smoke floating around the top of the cave.  
"Oh no!" Agumon jumped up. "Theres no way for the smoke to get out!"  
"So?" Biyomon asked.  
"So we'll suffocate!"  
"Ah!" they both screamed and leapt up.  
"We gotta do something!"  
"Maybe we can move one of the smaller rocks." They both chose a group of small rocks in the top corner.  
"Pepper Breath!"  
"Spiral Twister!"  
Nothing.  
"We have to try again." Biyomon begged.  
"Pepper Breath!"  
"Spiral Twister!"  
The rocks started to shake.  
"Once more!"  
"Pepper Breath!"  
"Spiral Twister!"  
This time the rocks fell out, leaving a hole about a foot and a half across and two exhausted digimon. They slumped down with their backs together and fell asleep.

Tai woke up cold. The fired was almost completely gone and the digimon were nowhere to be seen. Tai noticed the hole the digimon had made in the rock wall. He could hear and smell the water running, but he couldn't see any light coming in. He assumed it was just night out. He turned to check on Sora. She wasn't there.  
"Sora!?" He jumped up and ran down the tunnel to see if anyone was still there. "Sora!" He saw a light around the corner by the stream. "Sora?" he ran around the corner, but was tackled by Agumon. They landed around the corner, away from sight.  
"Agumon, what the hell!"  
"Sorry, Tai. You can't go back there."  
"Why the hell not?!"  
"Well, Biyoumon and I brought Sora back here to-"  
"Sora's back there? I need to talk to her." He started to get up, but Agumon pushed him back down.  
"Tai shes still asleep. She-"  
"Then why is she back there?!"  
"Well, she sorta had an accident-"  
"An accident! Why didn't you wake me!? Is she ok?"  
"She's fine. She just...didn't find a potty."  
"Ohhh..." Tai said, blushing deeply.  
"Biyoumon's back there washing her off now. It wasn't a job you could do, so we didn't wake you."  
"If I'm not allowed back there, then why are you?"  
"I'm not. I'm keeping watch in case you wandered in like you almost did. Quite silly really. I can help just as much as Biyoumon, but she said Sora wouldn't like that. Must be a human thing."  
"Well it's really a privacy thing."  
"Whado you mean?"  
"Well, girls don't like guys seeing them without cloths, ok?"  
"Why not? Your all the same arnt you?"  
"No. Guys and girls have different-" Tai started blushing again. "Look, I'm not getting into this with you, ok?"  
"Ok."  
Biyoumon rounded the corner.  
"Oh good, Tai. Can you help me carry her back?"  
Tai rounded the corner and was relieved to see a fully clothed Sora lying next to the stream. 'Biyoumon dis a good job.' Tai thought. 'It looks like she's glowing.' He walked over and picked her up by her knees and shoulders, like a tired kid. 'Wow' he thought. 'After all she's been through, she still smells like roses.' After the dance years ago, Tai got her some designer shampoo for her birthday. It didn't occur to him until after the party that she might take it the wrong way. Quite the contrary: she got hooked on the stuff. She wore it everywhere, apparently even to the digiworld. As he set her down, he put his nose in her hair for a long breath. It felt just wonderful to feel her in his lungs. He almost broke down right there. He felt tears come back to his eyes. Agumon came following close with Tai's shirt, which Biyoumon used to wash Sora.  
"Tai? Whad you need to tell Sora so bad?"  
The tears pushed harder. "She needs to know she was wrong."  
"About what?"  
"About giving up hope in me after the dance. She just...quit...before I ever had the chance to be with her." The tears were flowing freely and sobs mixed with his words. "And now...now she lying here...and she might not EVER wake up...and...she might never know...how much I love her..." Tai's tears fell on to Sora's dormant eyes. "You here me Sora?!" he screamed. "I LOVE YOU!" The "you" reverberated throughout the cavern for long moments after Tai's outburst. Then everything was quite, except for the waterfall, the fire, and the sobs. Suddenly, Sora's body began to shake like Tai's. Tears of her own began to flow. Her eyes opened and instantly met with Tai's. "Tai..."  
"Sora!" Tai lifted her head in his arms, holding it in a close embrace, before remembering her wound. He lay her head back down. She coughed slightly. "Oh, Tai..."  
"It's ok, I'm here." he grabbed her hand and held on tight. "I'm here."  
"Tai... I..."  
"Shhh, it's ok, just relax."  
"No, I..." With an unexpected jolt of power, Sora leapt of the ground, throwing her arms around Tai's shoulders and her lips on his mouth. The kiss went on and on. They each tilted their heads to keep it going. Tai slid underneath her so that she was lying on top of him. She ran his fingers through his hair, while Tai avoided hers. He wrapped his arms around her back and squeezed all his love into her. Finally she pulled away.  
"I feel dizzy." she laughed.  
"Yeah." Tai laughed too. "Me too." he rolled her back over to the moss bed again. He ran his fingers through her hair careful to avoid the wound. He kissed her again and again they held it.  
"We need to get you out of here. You need to see a doctor about that head thing." He started to get up, but Sora grabbed his hand.  
"Tai...I-"  
"What is it Sora?"  
"I...I love you, Tai."  
Just then, a bright, pink light radiated from the center of Sora's chest.  
"Wha-" all the digimon and Tai gasped.  
"It must be her crest of love." Biyoumon said. "I feel stronger."  
-Biyoumon digivolve to...Birdramon-  
-Birdramon digivolve to...Garudamon-  
Garudamon easily pushed the rock wall out of the way and flew out into the sunlight. Tai lifted Sora off the ground and they worked their way outside. Blackwargreymon was nowhere to be found. In fact, neither was the control spire. They all climbed on Garudamon's back and took off towards the nearest digiport. Tai remembered to put his shirt back on, despite it being wet, bloody and torn. He lay Sora's head in his lap as they flew through the sky. Not only did they destroy a control spire, but also the wall between them. Tai looked to the future with great hopes. But Sora had a secret that she just could not tell him. Tai leaned over and kissed her again, and she knew that this would be the hardest choice in her life


	2. No Way Out: The Figurative

Sort of a long one. Better than the first, I'd say. Not much romance, but plenty of plot. Taiora with a hint of Takari. Little Matt-bashing, but I even it out with some Tai bashing and even some Mimi bashing, too.

Trying out a new concept that I might make a whole series out of. R+R if you like it. You'll know what it is.  
Disclaimer: I don't own digimon, only the idea of Counter crests and BlackSkullGreymon and BlackMetalGarurumon. Any similarities are strictly coincidental.  
Enjoy.

No way out  
The figurative.  
Orvis

Garudamon sailed through the portal, dedigivolving and depositing them right in the middle of Highton-View Terrace. Tai helped Sora up and carried her to the nearest hospital. Biyoumon and Agumon quickly high-tailed it over to Izzy's where they could hide out while Sora was being treated.  
Tai carried Sora into the emergency room. She was getting weak from all the travel that Tai had to put her down to get a doctor. Finally, a white coat came over.  
"What happened here?" he asked, examining Sora's head.  
"Well, we were riding bikes, and she hit a bump and landed on a rock." It wasn't exactly a lie, and it wasn't exactly a good one either. The doctor was looking closely.  
"Really?" he said, unconvinced. "Cause this cut looks a few days old." He looked up at Tai with one eyebrow raised.  
"Ok, I slipped in the bathroom and cracked my head on the counter. I was knocked unconscious and sat there for pretty much all of yesterday. Neither of my parents are in town, so I was pretty helpless. If Tai didnt have a key and come by when he did, idk if I would've made it." Sora looked up at Tai with a look so sweet, so loving, that both Tai and the doctor knew she was sincere.  
"Alright, well I guess that answers my next question: no parents." He stood up. "Come on back, your just gonna need some stitches." To Tai: "I'll bring her out when were good. Don't worry, she's safe."  
'It was my stupid idea in the first place.' Tai thought as he sit down in one of the waiting room chairs. It wasn't Tai's plan to go that day, in fact it was Izzy's. He called all the shots as to the schedule of when the towers were to be taken care of. But Sora didnt have to go. It was Tai's turn and he asked her to tag along. He didnt know it would turn the way it did. They both thought it would be fun.  
'I should've never let her come.' He put his head in his hands and waited.  
How long he slept, he didn't know. He felt as if he'd only been there a few minutes, but the stiffness in his back and neck told him otherwise. He soon felt a soft hand gently rubbing his back. His head shot up to see Sora sitting there next to him. Her beautiful face was only slightly bandaged and the blood was gone. She smiled at him and kept gently moving her fingers around the surface of his back. He quickly sat up and pulled her into his arms.  
"Sora, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean for any of this to happen." he whispered with tears in his eyes. She pulled back.  
"You mean you didn't want us to find each other: to fall in love?" She looked like she was about to lose it. Tai tried desperately to calm her down. He reassured her that he still loved her; that he meant the injury and the danger, not the kiss. All the while, Sora's smile grew until she couldn't hold it in anymore and started laughing.  
"-And your laughing." Tai said, confused. "You were joking, weren't you?"  
"Of course! Oh, Tai..." Sora regained herself.  
"Oh Sora..." Tai mocked. She smacked playfully on the arm. She looked down for a second and when she looked back up, her smile had changed from one of pure elation to one of pure content. She leaned in close and kissed him softly. She pulled back, bit stayed close to him. He closed the gap and they kissed again, deeper than before. Sora put her hand on his cheek as she pulled away.  
"Tai, there's something I-"  
"Oh, wow, we gotta go. The others are probably losing it right now." He got up and grabbed her by the hand. "Cmon, we gotta get to Izzy's." They ran together out of the deserted hospital.

'I'll have to tell him eventually...' Sora thought as they ran to Izzy's. She was referring to the fact that Matt had a thing for her. And, she had to admit, she did too. They had been, in a way together since Matt saved her at his bands show a few weeks back. She felt grateful, and almost as if she had to be with him because of it. She loved Tai with all her heart, but she didn't know if she could bring herself to hurt Matt that way. This was all very confusing to her.  
"Tai, stop." she said as they approached Izzys apartment. He did. He looked at her with his hand on the door knob.  
"What's up, Sor?"  
"Tai there's something you have to-" She was interrupted as the door flew open and Kari flew out with her arms open, latching on to Tai.  
"Your ok!" she cried into his chest. She looked up. "Sora!" She dragged them in to a group hug. "I was so scared."  
"Hey, it ok..." Tai said to sooth her. "Were ok." He locked eyes with Sora and smiled. She returned the act.  
"Yea, I'm fine, just a little bump on the head."  
"I know, Agumon told us everything." Kari said, her face buried in Tai's chest. Tai raised an eyebrow.  
"Did he, now? How much did he tell you, exactly?"  
"Oh, he said quite enough." Izzy said rounding the corner. He had on a face Tai though was supposed to be evil, but ended up looking more congested. "Lucky for us, Digimon don't understand privacy and secrets." He grinned mischievously. "Go on, then. Show us?"  
"Fine!" Tai's refute was pitiful, but he turned to Sora anyway and locked their eyes. She found she couldn't resist it. They pulled in for a big kiss. But they never made it.  
"Oh, please spare us." Matt's bitter sarcasm interrupted.  
"What's the matter, Matt? Jealous?" Tai taunted. He could see anger grow in Matt's eyes as he cooly leaned in the doorway. Sora grabbed Tai's arm.  
"Tai, I tried to tell you..." she trailed off. She looked down at the ground, sheepishly blushing.  
"Tell me what Sor?" Tai asked, obviously oblivious. "Wait..." he said as a realization slowly dawned on him. He look in Matt's direction with an anger only dreamt about in the minds of those most greatly betrayed. "What did you do to her?" he growled.  
"Nothing you haven't done." A dark smile crossed his face. "Well, maybe not."  
That was it. Tai lost it, flying across the few feet that separated them at light speed. It took the combined efforts of Izzy, Kari, Sora, and Agumon to drag Tai off. Gabumon stood by Matt, making sure he wasn't going to jump. He wasn't.  
"Tai, calm down..." Sora stood between the two, becoming the only obstacle Tai couldn't pass. "Nothing happened with us. Not like that."  
"Then what did happen?" Tai asked, easily shrugging off. Kari and Izzy. He picked up Agumon and put him down behind him.  
"Remember the Digimon at the the Christmas concert?"  
How could he forget? It was when he first thought Sora was gone. He recalled her standing outside the trailer with the box of cookies for Matt. He saw something in her eyes; something he knew to be love. She was having trouble getting up the courage to go and talk to Matt. That's where Tai came in. His crest of courage and hers of love frequently worked together, and this was an example. He loved her so much that didn't hesitate to encourage her to see Matt. He thought she would be happier that way.  
"Yeah...?" Tai answered.  
"Well, when the tent was coming down, he sorta saved me from a falling pilar."  
'For some reason, that doesn't seem right.' Izzy and Biyoumon simultaneously thought. They all dropped it when Sora continued.  
"I guess I felt so grateful I just had to do something for him..." She started blushing again.  
"You kissed him, didn't you?" Tai asked as the reality of their situation dawned on him. She nodded.  
"Well that's not that bad." Kari started.  
"Well it wasn't. That was the problem. We've sorta been... Dating...since then."  
Everything was quiet for the following moments. Tai finally broke the silence.  
"So... You lied to me, Sora?" he asked with his teared eyes fixed on the floor.  
"Tai, I -" she started, but it was hopeless. He picked her up and set her off to the side. There was nothing left in-between him and Matt now. He looked Matt in the eyes and for the first time in a long while, Matt was genuinely scared.  
Tai slowly approached Matt who was stubbornly standing his ground. "You knew, Matt. You knew what I felt for her..." Izzy grabbed Tai's arm.  
"Tai, this doesn't-" Tai threw him off like a small bug. Now, Izzy wasn't the smallest of kids, and the fact that Tai so easily disposed of him made everyone else stay away. Except Gabumon. He stood right in Tai's path. Matt put his hand on his partners shoulder.  
"No, I can handle this." he lied.  
"...and you took her anyways!?" Tai finished his thought. He was now only a foot or so away from Matt. His crest began to glow, but not it's normal orange. Instead it let out a black so dark as to poison the heart of love itself. Everyone watched in awe as Tai came within inches of Matt.  
"And you thought I wouldn't notice." Tai smiled an evil smile. He wound up and punched Matt so hard he almost killed him. Matts unconscious body quickly hit the floor. Evil Tai chuckled, then stormed out, leaving everyone there stunned. Joe came out of the bathroom to see everyone standing around something.  
"Whad I miss?" he asked, drying off his hands.

Tai shut his bedroom door and sat down on his bed.  
'What just happened?' he though. 'One minute I'm outside Izzy's with Matt and Sora, then suddenly I'm here.'  
He lay down with his hands on his face.  
'What the hell did I do?'

"How bad is it?" Sora asked when Joe was finished looking Matt over.  
"Well," He said standing up. "Judging by the lack of blood in his face and the lack of any injury, I'd say..." He looked her in the eyes and smiled. "He fainted."  
"Thanks, Joe." Sora said as she sat down next to Matt, waiting for him to come to. Joe walked in the kitchen to wash his hands. 'You can never be too careful' he thought.  
Meanwhile, Izzy had called up Genai and told him what had happened with Tai.  
"And then his crest started to glow black."  
"Black, you say?" Genai made sure he had heard him right. "Well it sounds like a counter crest. Every one of your crest comes with a positive side that you already know all about."  
"But there's a negative side, too?"  
"Come on, Izzy. You know there's no such thing as monopoles. Anyways, the darkness you saw is the opposite of Tai's crest. The counter crest of Courage is that of Fury. Tai must have been angered beyond anything he's ever experienced. But now that ones been activated, all of them will start activating. Now, let's see if I can remember these crests. The opposite of love is hate; the opposite of knowledge is arrogance; the opposite of sincerity is corruption, the opposite of reliability is recklessness and I think you can figure out the opposites of hope and light."  
Izzy nodded. "Despair and darkness."  
"Thats right. Your going to want to watch out for Kari. When hers activates, it's possible that something truly evil could appear."  
"But Genai, what about Ken's crest?"  
"Well, Ken is special. His crest already changed from that of kindness to that of pain. He was lucky enough to be able to overcome the power it put him under before it overtook him completely."  
"So that means Ken's done for good?"  
"I don't know. This is the first I've seen of it. But I wouldn't think you'd have any more problems with it."  
Just then, Kari came running in the room with TK right behind.  
"Matt's gone!" she said. "He just woke up and turned black like Tai. Then he stormed out."  
"I knew I was forgetting something." Genai sId through the the screen. "The opposite of friendship is vengeance."  
An idea popped into Izzy's powerful brain. "Thanks, Genai." Izzy said as he was preparing to close his laptop.  
"Wait!" Genai stalled. "I forgot to tell you something!" Izzy opened the laptop computer back up. "I forgot to say, if Agumon or Gabumon digivolve while their partners counter crest is active, there may be nothing you can do to stop it. For example, Agumons Counter-Warp digivolution turns him in to BlackSkullGreymon, a digimon more powerful and more angry than anything you've ever seen. In fact, I've never heard of a more powerful digimon than BlackSkullGreymon."  
"What about Matt and the rest of us?" Izzy asked.  
"Well, I've only heard of one other, and that's BlackMetalGarurumon. He's also not one to mess with."  
"Thanks Genai." Izzy slammed the laptop closed.  
'No one says goodbye anymore...' thought Genai back in the digital world.  
"What was all that about?" Kari asked as Izzy finished packing his laptop.  
"I'll tell you on the way. We should probably look for Tai at your house. I think that's whereMatt will be too." Kari nodded and they headed out, taking everyone else on the way.

There was a knock at the door, so Tai got up to answer it. He was surprised to see everyone staining out there. He opened the door.  
"Oh, hi Sora, what-" That's all he got out before his cheek was assaulted by the palm of Sora's hand. Sora was strong, but Tai was used to it. He jumped back more out if shock then pain.  
"Ow! Damn, Sora, what was that for?!" he asked with his own hand on his red cheek.  
"That," she said, walking in close to him. "Was for knocking Matt out. This," she said, drawing in closer. "This is for trying to keep me yours." With her hands on his chest, she kissed him deep. He was still confused, but he didn't let that stop her.  
Being that this was the first time anyone had seen them together, they all looked away, awkwardly, except for Kari, who simply held her hands and squeaked with joy.  
"Er...what?" Tai said when they finally broke. "Last thing I remember, I was asking Sora if she lied to me, then I woke up here."  
Izzy and Joe filled Tai in on what he did. Joe assured him that he hadn't hurt Matt, but that Matt had feinted on his own. Tai realized Sora had never answered his question, but due to the circumstance, he dropped it.  
"So why can't I remember anything?" Tai asked.  
"That wasn't exactly you. You kinda turned evil." Izzy explained to him about the counter crests. And how Matt's was of Vengeance.  
"I think he's on his way over here now." Tai nodded, his arm around Sora.  
"Ok. You guys leave. I'll handle Matt."  
"No, Tai! I won't let you!" Sora cried.  
"What's the worst that could happen?" He grinned with his goofy grin.  
Izzy shook his head. "I have to agree with Sora on this one. Matt will say and do anything to get back at you. If your counter crest activates, it could be disastrous."  
"Whado you mean?" Tai asked.  
"When the counter crest activates, it changes the digimon's forms, too. If you lose it and try to have Agumon digivolve, he'll turn into BlackSkullGreymon."  
"BlackSkullGreymon?!"  
Izzy nodded. "He's more powerful than any other digimon. And he'll be completely out of your control."  
"Well I can't just let you sit here while Matt tears this place apart!"  
"You'll have too." Joe pipped in.  
"You have to leave, Tai." Sora said, looking up at him. "I won't let you stay. Trust me, I'll be fine."  
He locked eyes with her. Her mind was set, and he knew that there was no way he could change it.  
"Ok." he gave in. "I'll go out my window and wait at your house for you." He kissed her goodbye and ran to his room, shutting the door behind him. He opened the window, preparing himself to leave, but he couldn't. He needed to be there, even if he wasn't needed. So he sat on his bed and thought about what was happening with Sora.

She was trapped. Not in a physical sense, no, but in an emotional dilemma. She loved Tai with all her heart, but owed Matt her life. And that wasn't the only problem. She did like Matt; how much, she didn't know. He was her friend and he counted on her to be his. She couldn't allow herself to hurt him, even if it meant losing Tai. But she couldn't lose Tai, either. They were best friends since even before the digital world, and he meant more than the world to her. She couldn't live without him. This didn't leave her many options.  
She felt the beginnings of tears forming in her eyes and insisted to herself that she remain calm.  
'I'll figure thus out somehow.' she thought.

It was only about fifteen minutes until Matt showed up. This delay worried Izzy.  
'He was a good hour ahead of us. What was he doing? We stopped by Mimi and TK's houses and still got here before him. I wonder what he has planned...'  
He soon found his answer. Upon arrival at the Kamiya's, Dark Matt simply knocked the front door in. He entered as it swung broken on it's hinges. As he entered the living room, everyone was waiting for him. Everyone but one.  
"So where is your 'fearless leader'?" Dark Matt asked with a laugh. Sora pushed out her chest.  
"He's gone. We're not gonna let you hurt him." She stood firm against the blackened eyes of her "boyfriend". Unknown to everyone, Tai was still there. He had heard the door break in and had cracked his door open to watch what was going on, all the while, ready to jump in if he was needed.  
"Who says I'm here for Kamiya?" he smirked, staring directly at Sora. Kari picked up on this and stood right in the way.  
"We won't let you hurt her!" she cried. Joe, Izzy and TK did the same. Mimi simply started crying. But Matt was a step ahead.  
"I would be hurt if you would." he said, pulling a wicked, black handgun from his back pocket. Izzy then understood what took him so long. The others froze, but Sora walked around them to Dark Matt.  
"I'll go with you, just don't hurt them."  
He grinned. "Wouldn't dream of it." he said, mocking innocence. He grabbed her arm, spun her around and put the gun to her head.  
"Get your computer!" he barked at Izzy, who realized what he was doing and hesitated. Like in a movie, Matt pulled the hammer on the gun back, despite not needing to. Both Kari and Sora were crying now. Kari in full sobs; Sora in small tears. Mimi wailed in the corner, but she was doing that anyways. Izzy slowly as possible work his laptop out of his bag and on to the table, trying desperately to work out an exit strategy.  
Tai sat helplessly at his door, knowing that the second he shows himself, Sora was gone. Slowly, he started piecing things together. 'Why does he want Sora and not me? I was the one that knocked him out.' Then he realized he didn't. In fact, he never hurt Matt at all. It was Sora who had broke his heart. Sora who hurt him. And Sora he had prisoner. But Tai's realization came too late.  
While Izzy thought about how to save the day and Tai figured out what actually was happening, TK was trying to figure out what he'd say to Kari when she was helping him up. He mustered all his strength and dove at his brother. Without missing a beat, Matt turned the gun away from Sora's head and shot TK.  
Everything happened in slow motion: TK flying, the shot, TK falling down. Kari shot forward, crying now not just for Sora, but for her love too.  
"TK!" she screamed, rolling him over on his back. The shot had hit his torso, but just barely. It had found ground in his left shoulder. Not a mortal wound, but one that would certainly need attention. TKs breathing was shallow and he was bleeding profusely. Joe dove on him and go right to work. Kari stood up.  
"You Bastard!" she screamed, lunging at Matt. Lucky for her, Joe got her before she too got shot. He threw her off to the side. He hated to hurt her, but he had to get to TK and couldn't afford anyone else getting hurt. She lay on the ground, sobbing, repeating her curse over and over again in a whisper.  
By now, Izzy had his computer set up.  
"Good." Dark Matt said, well, darkly. He put the gun back to Sora, who was crying harder now. "Open it." he ordered.  
She wanted to resist, but she knew it was hopeless. She reached into her pocket and pulled out her Digivice. Everyone who could, including Tai, watched in horror as she said the three dreaded words.  
"Digi port open."  
Tai jumped up and ran out of his room, diving around the corner, just as Matt and Sora were sent away in the white light. He held out his Digivice and went along with them.  
All was quiet except for TK and Kari. After they left, she crawled close to him. She put her head on his good shoulder and told him everything was going to be alright. Joe ran to the bathroom to get some rubbing alcohol and some wet towels.  
"Kari?" TK croaked. (A/N not in the sense you're thinking.)  
"Yes TK?" she sobbed.  
"If I don't make it-"  
"Shut up. Your going to make it." she said sitting up. "You hear me, you're gonna be fine."  
"I need you to do send a message to someone." he continued.  
"Anything TK..."  
"Well, theres this girl..." he started. Kari's heart dropped. "Can you tell her I live her?"  
"Where does she live?"  
He smiled at her. "In every mirror you look in." The realization of what he was saying slowly dawned on Kari. She dropped a tear for love instead of pain.  
"I love you too, TK." she said, leaning over and kissing him. It was, honestly her first kiss, and she was glad to share it with him. Shortly after, the blood loss and the pain hit him, and he hit his dreams of Kari with a whole new view.

Whadya think? Good? Bad? R+R and save your flames for the grill. Chapter three, "No Way Out, The literal (again)" coming soon.  
Peace \V/


	3. Chapter 3

So...chapter three.  
Did you like that plot twist? Told you there'd be a Takari eventually. Anyway, watch out for potholes in this one. Didn't exactly...you know, edit it lol. Reviews are encouraged. Idk, maybe I'll put a toll up. No update without 10 new reviews? Nah, I'm not that guy. Enjoy anyways.

No Way Out  
The Literal (again)  
Orvis

As soon as it was clear, Izzy called Davis and the others. Ken and Cody were having some bonding time doing today's tower run, and would watch out for Tai and Matt on their side. Davis and Yolei, however, said they would be right there.  
'Finally!' Davis thought as he ran to the Kamiya's. 'Now that TD is out of the way, Kari will have no choice but to love me.'  
Joe was a medical genius. Even though it only took Davis a few minutes to run to his "field hospital", Joe had already removed the bullet, closed the wound, dressed and bandaged it, and immobilized TK's arm. TK now sat shirtless on the couch, Kari on his lap; her lips on his own.  
Davis ran in on this show and swore to himself.  
"Aww, I wish it was me who got shot!" he whined aloud, obviously implying the part of getting Kari, not the pain. Kari unlocked herself from TK just long enough to say:  
"You and me both."  
Yolei walked in chuckling. "I think its cute." she said. Davis sighed. 'I never win.'  
Izzy walked out from Tai's room where he had set up his laptop.  
"I talked to Ken and Cody and they agreed to meet us at Primary Village in 1 hour." He noticed Yolei and Davis. "Glad you could make it. Now lets get ready to go." He looked at Kari. "Are you going or staying?"  
She hadn't thought about it. TK was her love and hurt, but Tai was her brother and in danger. She couldn't be asked to choose, could she?  
"You should go." TK croaked.  
"Are you sure?"  
"Yeah I'll be fine."  
"I'll stay with him." Joe said from the corner. "I've never been the best at fighting and I'll need to be here to change his bandages. You go find Tai."  
She nodded and headed in with Izzy, Mimi, Davis and Yolei.  
"Everybody ready?" Izzy asked around. They all solemnly nodded.  
"Prodigious. Digiport open."

Tai's eyes slowly opened, his consciousness soon behind. All he could see was black. He quickly sat up as his eyes adjusted to the darkness. He began to see a forest around him. He didn't recognize it. 'I must be in the digital world.' he thought, getting to his feet. Suddenly, the memories of the past events flooded into his brain. He frantically looked around for Matt and Sora. 'No, no, I can't lose her!' He saw a light in the distance and ran for it. He tripped over roots and branches a few times, but he eventually made it to the source of the light; a surprisingly large cave it the side of a mountain. He peeked his head along the corner, as to not startle Matt.  
He nearly jumped out of his skin as a claw touched his back.  
"Hi Tai!" Agumon cheered.  
"God, Agumon, don't do that. You almost killed me. And be quiet!" Tai shushed him. Agumon nodded with a grunt of understanding. Tai leaned his head back around the corner.  
The cave extended back farther than the little campfire near the mouth could light, but by its light, Tai could see two figures: one standing, one cowering. Not to say Sora was a coward, but the position she was curled up in only could be described as fear. Dark Matt stood over her with the gun still in hand. Sora's back was too the mouth of the cave, but he could tell that she was disgusted by what DM had just suggested.  
"No! There's no way I'd do that!" He just glared at her.  
"Matt, I'm sorry. I don't want to hurt you, but I can't ignore what I feel for Tai."  
"That's what I was afraid of." he sighed, pulling the slide back and angling the barrel in her direction. Tai felt the counter crest about to activate, but before he could turn dark, he heard a sound that pulled him back into the world.  
"No!" Sora screamed. "I don't know what I ever thought I saw in Tai. The truth is...I love you Matt." She started to cry.  
Matt laughed. "I don't believe-" is all he got out before Dark Tai came flying around the corner. He made no comprehensible words: only an evil sound audible to the two digidestined. The pain of hearing Sora confess love to someone else; to Matt of all people, hurt him more than could be imagined. He quickly turned and attacked before realizing how fake the statement actually was.  
He swung his fist at DM's face. With all his power, Matt was only able to deflect the right hook barely. Despite dodging one blow, Tai's left hand connected with Matt's stomach, sending him flying into the roof of the cave. The impact shook the whole mountain, causing rocks to fall from over the mouth. Agumon, Gabumon and Biyoumon quickly scampered over the already fallen rocks to get in before their partners were trapped inside alone. They grabbed Sora by her arms and dragged her deeper into the cave. She cried for them to stop: The digimon as well as her loves. Bur neither listened.  
Matt threw a fist at Tai, who easily redirected it to the cave wall, causing more rocks to fall. He then used his free arm to nail Matt in the jaw. He flew and collided with the opposite wall. With rocks falling around them, they charged for a final strike. They pulled their fist back and met each others strike with their own. The explosion that followed from the impact was enough not only to knock the two boys out, but also to seal the front of the cave up with rocks from the mountain. After the avalanches had calmed down, Agumon and Gabumon went to retrieve the bodies.  
'Not again.' Agumon thought noticing the sealed wall. After quickly communicating with Gabumon, they went to work carving a hole for the smoke to escape by.

"There's Ken and Cody!" Yolei waved as the other digidestined approached Primary Village. Elecmon was doing his best to keep the baby digimon from interfering in the others business, but every now and then, one of the little ones wandered in. After a few times, Elecmon started to get the hang of the situation. Izzy ran the plan over and over, and the fifth time, Elecmon chimed in.  
"You know, if I were Matt, I would've taken her over to Byte Mountain. They say there's a whole system of caves and tunnels running through it. I've heard there's only one entrance, but I'm not do sure."  
"Could you show us?" Izzy asked. It did seem like the perfect place for Matt to hide.  
"I guess I could leave the little ones for a few minutes." He started off in the direction of the mountain, not waiting for Ken and Cody who had to run to catch up with the rest of the group.

"It's alright, TK. It'll be fine." Joe cooed as he unwrapped TK's bandage.  
"Thats not it." he sniffled. "It's Kari." He rubbed his eyes. "I love her so much... And I just don't know if she feels the same."  
Joe's jaw hit the floor. After a pause, he said "Well, I can see why you didn't get the crest of knowledge."  
"What's that s'posed to mean?!"  
Joe wiped the sweat from his forehead. "I did not just watch Kari sit there with her face all over yours to have you then wonder if she likes you. I only see that from Gomomon when he eats bacon. Jeez TK, there's blind and then there's oblivious. Your almost as bad as Davis." He chuckled at the thought. TK's eyes dropped.  
"Yeah, I'll bet if he was the one shot, Kari would've been all over him."  
"Your missing the point. The shot did have a purpose: to scare Kari into seeking protection. She wasn't kissing you cause she was sorry for you. She was kissing you cause she was scared for you. I'll bet even if Davis was shot, Kari still would've ended up in your arms."  
TK's eyes brightened. "You really think so?" Joe smiled.  
"I know so. Now, if you excuse me, I have to go tell thirty of Tai's neighbors that they in fact did not hear a gunshot, but just a tea kettle malfunction. Wish me luck."  
He got up and walked out the door, closing it behind him. TK fell over on the couch, in a daze.  
"Does she really like me?"

Tai slowly opened his eyes. He had been conscious for awhile now, but this was the first time he had the energy to open his eyes.  
He was in a cave. He could smell a small fire illuminating the space, but he could only see it's light. As the smoke entered his lungs, he coughed slightly. Sora came running into sight.  
"Tai!" she cried, knelling down next to him. By the little light he could tell that her shirt was gone, leaving her in just her bra and shorts (A/N no it's not that kinda story). He blushed furiously.  
Realizing why, her cheeks matched the color of her eyes in a blush as deep as his.  
"Oh. Matt hit his head. He was bleeding bad and i didn't have anything to stop it. I sorta...improvised?" she started to sit up.  
"No, Tai, your too week you need-" He gave her a look that said in the most polite way "shut up and trust me". He managed to push himself into a sitting position. After catching his breath, he slowly removed the shirt of his own. She tried not to look at her best friends body as he disrobed, but she was stunned by how strong he looked. After a few minutes of struggling and turning down help, he got the shirt over his massive locks. He promptly fell back down on the make-shift pillow he was sleeping on. He smiled slightly at Sora, causing her to giggle. He handed her the shirt with another look, telling her to take it. He was still too tired to speak, so looks were the most effective mode of communication. She held his eyes before accepting it, putting it on her self. She was getting cold. She pushed some hair out of Tai's face then kissed his forehead. She headed over to check on Matt as Tai fell asleep. He had had a long day.

Day two of their "sentence" went off well. After Agumon managed to find them water, they planned their next moves. Matt was still unconscious. And bleeding. But they thought it best to worry about that later. They came to the conclusion that they would need to blast out like last time, so as soon as Tai was feeling strong enough, he attempted to have Agumon digivolve.  
"I can't, Tai." he said after a few minutes of intense labor.  
"Whadoya mean you can't!"  
"I just...can't." Tai plopped down on to his bed, exhausted.  
"It's alright. Will find a way out."  
"Tai?" Sora asked as something occurred to her.  
"Yeah?"  
"How did you get here?" He looked ashamed, and proud simultaneously. "You didn't leave, did you?"  
"I couldn't." He looked down and slouched. "Sora, do you know what I would do if you got hurt?"  
"If I got hurt?! Do you have any idea what I would do if YOU got hurt?" He looked up and saw a lone tear on her face. Its soon turned to many as she slid down the wall of the cave.  
"You had to be the hero, Tai. Couldn't let me fight this. You have no idea how hard all of this has been on me.  
"We've been lucky, Tai. We got out once, but who says we can get out again? Now your the one who's injured and I'm the one sitting here, trying to figure out what to do.  
"...it's not fair." she whispered. "ITS NOT FAIR!" she screamed. In a matter similar to when Tai declared his love to her her, the "fair" echoed off the walls. They didn't know it, but it was enough to snap Matt out of his coma.  
She sat there crying, just out of Taichi's reach. He couldn't stand it any longer. He mustered up strength he shouldn't have had and brought himself to his feet. He walked over to where she sobbed and gently lay a hand on her shoulder, startling her.  
"Tai." she gasped. "I didnt mean-"  
"I know."  
She was moved by his selflessness and leapt up, throwing her arms around his neck in a strong hug. With her chin on his shoulder, she cried out all her problems. After a while, her eyes opened and met a pair she hadn't seen for a while.  
"Matt!" she gasped.

Elecmon tensed up and stopped.  
"Whats wrong?" Izzy asked.  
"Somethings not right. The entrance should be right there, but there's only a pile of rocks."  
"Maybe there was another cave in. Random events tend to link together."  
"Maybe."  
"I think it's worth a try to dig through." Cody spoke up. Armadillomon agreed, for obvious reasons.  
"Well, let's look around the mountain. Maybe we just have the wrong spot."  
"I don't think so. Then again, it has been a while since I've been hear." Elecmon smiled at Izzy. "Lets try circling a little more. If we don't find it, we'll set up camp and start digging in the morning."  
"That sounds like a prodigious idea."  
After walking for a few more hours proved ineffective in finding their friends, they decided to follow Elecmon's plan and camp for the night.

Sora ran over to where Matt was lying still semi unconscious, still bandaged with Sora's shirt.  
"Sora? Tai?" he croaked. Agumon went to find water as Gabumon joined the others around Matt.  
"Matt!" he cried, falling down next to his partner.  
"Matt, do you remember anything?" Tai asked, concerned that he would have to be the one to tell him he shot his brother.  
"Sorta, I remember..." Suddenly everything flooded back to him. "Oh my god, TK!" He tried to sit up, but Sora and Gabumon held him down. After a few moments of struggling, he gave up and slumped back down into his place crying. Sora put her hand on his shoulder, but he quickly smacked it off.  
"Get away from me!" he snapped. Tears of her own started forming in her eyes. Tai came over to her.  
"He didn't mean it. He just needs room."  
She swallowed back her tears, stood and nodded. She decided it was time to sleep, so she silently walked to her corner and lay down. What Matt had said really hurt her. 'How could I hurt him so bad?' she thought as she drifted back to sleep. Tai soon did the same, exhausted from his walking endeavor. Matt not too quietly cried himself to sleep.

What the cave dwellers thought was night was in fact day. As the went to sleep, the others went to work.  
Elecmon had to return to primary village, so he left soon after they woke.  
Digmon, Kabuterimon, Togemon, Stingmon, Ex-Veemon and Halsemon went to work moving rocks while the humans and Gatomon worked on a plan and gathered food. Davis, Ken and Cody all helped the digimon while Izzy tried to get more information about the counter-crests and check-up on Joe and TK. He found through Joe's emails that he was ok.  
After nine hours of mining, all the digimon were exhausted. After eating, they collapsed until the next day.

Tai woke in the night to the sound of Sora's sobbing. He sat up and waited for his eyes to truly adjust to the dim light of the embers left in the fire. He saw Sora kneeling by the rock wall, facing away from them. He started to get up. Then his eyes started to adjust more and he saw something that terrified him more than any digimon ever had.  
Sora was kneeling with Matt's gun pressed to her head.  
"Sor, what's up?" he asked, careful not to spook her. Her head dropped slightly.  
"Tai..." she started. She swallowed and tried again. "You weren't supposed to see this."  
"Sora, please don't-" he started towards her. She tensed.  
"Don't come closer. I'll do it." Even in the dark, Tai smiled lightly to himself. Sora was such a peaceful creature that she didn't even know that the safety was on.  
"Sor-"  
"I mean it." she said, undoing the safety, much to Tai's dismay.  
"This isn't a joke, Sora."  
"Damn right it's not a joke!" she hissed. "I can't do it anymore, Tai. I just cant. I love you both too much. I can't deal with hurting one of you for the other." She started crying. "I can't choose."  
"Then don't." he said. She lifted her head. "Don't choose. Go with Matt. I don't care if it means I don't get to be with you if it keeps you alive...I'd rather watch you fall in love with every man but me, mary them, have children with them...I'd rather watch all that than see you die, Sora. Whatever your happy with, I'll love you all the same. Always." The gun didn't move. Tai's dams broke and the water started flowing. "Dammit, Sora! I need you! I won't live without you!"  
She was again stunned by his selflessness. She let the gun drop, but warned him to stay away.  
"It's what Matt said isn't it?"  
She said nothing. She didn't have to. Tai knew. He knew this was all Matt's fault. Suddenly, the anger became too much for him.  
He rushed over to where Matt was sleeping and rudely shook him awake.  
"Hey! What's your problem?" the blonde asked, confused.  
"Sora only was trying to watch out for you, to care for you and you just snap at her? She almost killed herself over it!"  
"Yeah? You two made me shoot my brother!" he retorted, anger growing.  
"That wasn't you!" Tai growled.  
"I guess this isn't me either, then!"  
The darkness of the cave was like heaven compared to the darkness in the two boys eyes. Sora watched in horror as they started to fight again.  
Tai threw a punch into Matt's stomach, but he was ready and responded with a powerful right hook to the jaw. The hit sent Tai flying into the wall of collapsed rocks, causing it to shake a bit. Tai quickly recovered and tried again, meeting a very similar result. This time, how ever, his inertia carried him straight through the rock wall, causing the whole thing to dislodge. The sudden impact and repeated impacts of hundred of boulders falling easily woke the other digidestined, sending them into full awareness. But they did not react to quickly.  
Recovering rapidly from the previous hit, Tai stood up out of the dirt trench his flying body had carved. Matt, Agumon, Gabumon and Sora made their way to the mouth of the newly opened cave. Seeing their partners, Tai and Matt both reacted violently.  
"Agumon, Digivolve!"  
"Gabumon, Digivolve!"  
Both digimon lit up with darkness, completely consumed by it.  
"Agumon, Counter- digivolve to...BlackSkullGreymon!"  
"Gabumon, Counter- digivolve to...BlackMetalGarurumon!"  
The two high powered megas faced off. BlackSkullGreymon towered over them all. Composed of black bones and armor similar to Wargreymon, he held his head perhaps 75 feet off the ground. Like SkullGreymon, he had a weapon on his back. But this was no fish. This was a digital equivalent of an nuclear warhead. Just by thinking of it, BlackSkullGreymon could flatten any part of the digital world from where he stood. And if that wasn't enough, his Fusion Breath could boil stones solid at room temperature.  
BlackMetalGarurumon was, like his other forms, a Wolf digimon. Similar in form to WereGarurumon, he had dark armoring covering him from head to toe, except for his snout, which remained free for use. His eyes were concealed by his digichromate helmet, impervious to all forms of attacks. He had two cannons, much like those of Pieldramon, but instead of going under arm, his went over the shoulder. His Carpal Claw and Atomic Freeze attacks could easily leave his opponents shredded and motionless, bringing them to the point of absolute zero. (A/N for those who don't follow particle chemistry, absolute zero is the point where all molecular motion stops. Pretty much, the ultimate cold.)  
The four squared off, the sources directly mimicked by their dark partners. As Dark Tai and Dark Matt fought, BlackSkullGreymon and BlackMetalGarurumon fought. Things were quickly getting out of hand.  
"Everyone! Digivolve as high as you can. We need to keep their attention here." They all nodded.  
"Tentomon digivolve to...Megakabutarimon!"  
"Palmon digivolve to...Lilymon!"  
"Biyoumon digivolve to...Garudamon!"  
"Armadillomon digivolve to...Ankylomon!"  
"Hawkmon digivolve to...Aquilamon!"  
"Wormmon digivolve to...Stingmon!"  
"V-mon digivolve to...ExV-mon!"  
"Gatomon, Aquilamon, DNA digivolve to...Sylphimon!"  
"ExV-mon, Stingmon, DNA digivolve to...Pieldramon!"  
"Pieldramon digivolve to...Imperialdramon! Mode change to...Fighter Mode!" (A/N To recap, we have Megakabutarimon, Lilymon, Garudamon, Ankylomon, Sylphimon and Imperialdramon Fighter mode. Just to be clear.)  
The four ultimates, one champion and the mega all geared up to fight a very long, very vicious battle between the most powerful digimon to date and their closest friends. All the while, Sora's heart was spinning. All she could think about was losing Tai like this, or watching Matt kill him, or vice versa. She couldn't take the pressure.  
She couldn't take it anymore.

Did I not just make an amazing cliff-hanger? I know I said it would resolve here, but it was just getting too long. Decided to split it here. Reviews would be wonderful. I wanna thank Digi Yo and GiraffeShelf for their support through all this. And, I guess I'll see y'all in...  
PART IV!  
keep munchin  
Leedle out


	4. Chapter 4

So, welcome back!  
Sorry it took so long, I kinda...hit a few snags. But it's all better now, though. I think you'll like it. Watch out for the end, koumi and jyomi fans, hint hint. I guess Taimi too, but if that was the case, you wouldn't be reading this lol. Anyway, one new Digimon, don't flame me bout the name. Enjoy.

No way out 4  
Orvis

"Don't choose. Go with Matt. I don't care if it means I don't get to be with you if it keeps you alive...I'd rather watch you fall in love with every man but me, mary them, have children with them...I'd rather watch all that than see you die, Sora. Whatever your happy with, I'll love you all the same. Always."  
The words rang over and over inside Sora's mind.  
"I'll love you all the same."  
She couldn't get these thoughts to die.  
"Always."  
She fell to her knees. As her friends fought the battle of their lives out there, she was fighting inside. A darkness surrounded her mind and she suddenly slipped into what seemed like a dream.

She was surrounded in darkness, black everywhere she looked. She was chilled by the abyss and by the light mist around her ankles.  
'Great, now I'm here.' she thought, indirectly dragging herself back into her troubles with the two.  
"Your forgetting something." a voice said from nowhere. Before she could react, a bright light appeared in front of her. The mist around her turned red and a light crimson ambiance was in the space. She could barely see, but there appeared to be a figure in the light.  
"Who-?"  
"I am the physical embodiment of the Crest of Love." It didn't so much speak as allow her to know the answer. She never heard a voice, but her questions seemed to just seemed to be solved.  
The being smiled. "But you can call me Pat."  
"Pat?"  
"Love has no gender, so neither do I."  
"Ah, Pat."  
"I thought of Sam or Lenny, but Pat seemed best."  
"Ok...Pat? Where am I? What's going on?"  
"This is your heart." Pat said, gesturing to the dark, misty biome they stood in.  
"Why's it so dark?"  
"Because," Pat said with a sigh. "You don't know what it's telling you. It's been saying it for your entire life, and it doesn't like you ignoring it. It's giving up on you."  
"Like a heart attack?"  
"Of sorts. But you won't die. I will."  
Sora stopped talking. She was having difficulty comprehending what Pat was saying. She rubbed her temples and thought hard.  
"You see?!" Pat said, jumping in. "You see!? Right there! What you're doing there! That's your problem!"  
"Thinking?"  
"Yes! You've clouded your heart by trying to let your brain decide. You didn't get the crest of Knowledge, Sora. If you did, you'd be talking to "Deep Blue" over there. It doesn't make you stupid, it's just not what your supposed to listen to. I'm the part you need to listen to. You were given the crest of love for a reason, Sora. You only can solve this with your heart." Pat poked her in the chest, just left of her sternum. "The heart is a muscle. If you don't use it, it dies."  
Sora was speechless. Could her problems really be because she was choosing to ignore her hearts wishes? She closed her eyes and started to clear her mind of all her problems. She let go of Matt, of Tai, of the very battle they were fighting. She let go of her mother, her friends, her digimon. She let go of everything a young girl could think of. Her mind was as empty as Davis'.  
"Good." she heard Pat say. "Now look around." She opened her eyes and was transported back to reality. Still observing the fight that Biyoumon so wanted to fight. The first thing she saw when she opened her eyes was her warrior. The only one who had fought for her from the beginning. Who always had and always would. The one whose anger was made solely for her, not by selfish, subconscious desires, or the love of family. The one who would destroy the world to keep her safe. Her guardian. Her soldier. Her hero. Her warrior. Her Tai.  
Suddenly, her crest lit up.  
"Biyoumon, warp-digivolve to..." The little bird was enveloped in a light the very same red as Sora's eyes. She started to grow, and grow, and shift into a very, very large, crimson, legged Eagle, very similar to a mixture of Angewoman and Garudamon.  
"...Albatramaromon!" (A/N, pronouced: Alba-tra-maro-mon. Actually, that's exactly how it's spelled. But that's how it's accented. I know the mega is s'posed to be phoenixmon, but that didn't fit the story.) This mega had the head of an eagle, with a winged helmet with two, inward facing, diagonal slits where two red eyes could be seen in the darkness. Steel wings came out the rear of the torso, which was covered in white plate armor with the crest of love emblazoned upon it's front. She held a long halberd with a very decorative, very wicked looking blade. Two, full plated legs completed the picture of this "Guardian of love." Sora noticed that her new digimon reminded her, dimly, of Pat.  
"Heart's intent!" Albatramaromon cried, and sent a shaft of golden light from her halberd. The shot was not directed at the dark digimon, but instead at Tai. The blast went right through his heart, causing him to be lifted off the ground, limbs sprawled. The others froze as Tai fell back to the ground, then to his knees, head hung. Sora was snapped out of her trance by this sight as she ran over to be with him.  
She put her hand on his shoulder and knelt beside him. "Tai?" she whispered, on the verge of tears. He lifted his head up, and met her ruby eyes with his own, chocolate brown eyes. Sora gasped and held him tight, throwing both arms around his neck, squeezing him tight. He leaned back into a sitting position and smiled at her. She smiled back as he placed his hand on the back of her head and drew her in. She missed the feel of his lips on her own. Too long had they been apart. She could see now that Tai was the only one. He always was. No one had ever made her feel as amazing as she did when she was with Taichi. She felt like a leaf on the wind: so free, not knowing where it would fly. But she didn't care for her destination; Tai was the very air that held her up, and wherever on earth she was, Tai would always be around her, moving her, holding her, guiding her. She would never be alone.  
She couldn't help, still, feeling pain for hurting Matt, but this was a decision she had to make. Even if she was alive today only because of Matt, she would never live without Tai.  
She didn't realize how long they kissed. The sat there in bliss until Kari ran over and slapped the both of them.  
"Can we maybe do this later?" she yelled over the roar of the battle. Tai stood, remorsefully though. He knew he couldn't get BlackSkullGreymon to de-digivolve. Like SkullGreymon, he would simple have to wait until all the energy was gone. He hoped it would be soon.  
"Cardiac Discourse!" Albatramaromon sent a different color blast into the back of BlackSkullGreymon's head, causing him to jolt slightly and turn to face the eagle. He looked more angry than before.  
"Fusion Breath." His eyes glowed red as a ball of flame started to form in his mouth.  
"Vulcan's Hammer!" A bolt of lightning struck the monster on the back of the head, causing his burning blast to careen into the mountain. The flame was so hot, it burned straight through.  
On the horizon, they saw the bearded head of their giant, turtle-y friend, with Joe and TK riding on his shoulder. They skipped the small talk as Zudomon set them down to the ground and joined the fight.  
"Patamon, you know what to do." he winked at his flying hamster. Patamon grunted an affirmation.  
"Patamon, warp digivolve to..."  
The little ball of fur glowed as he turned into a fully armored angel. He look almost bulbous, but that was just the design of the armor. Set in relief on the chest plate was the Crest of Hope. (A/N whoops, almost wrote Crest of Hops lol)  
"Seraphimon." The mega Angel jumped in, making the tally: 3 megas, 4 ultimates, and one champion.  
"Since when could Patamon do that?" Kari asked, growing suspicious.  
"Well, I woke up this morning and started thinking about..." He blushed as a thought came over him. "...stuff... And my crest just started lighting up. Suddenly, Patamon said he felt he could warp-digivole, so after Joe changed my bandages, we came to find you." He blushed again. "Er-, you guys."  
Kari was touched. "Aw, TK, you dont need to be embarrassed. I love you too." she threw her arms around his neck, wrapping him in a warm kiss.  
Matt, even in his darkened state, saw TK ride in on Zudomon. All of the sudden, he was no longer angry at Tai and Sora for making him shoot his brother. The relief of seeing him alright snapped him out of his tirade and back to his normal self.  
"TK!" he screamed as he ran over and grabbed his brother from Kari's arms.  
"Not cool." the lovebirds both mumbled under their breath. TK quickly changed tunes, though, happy to see his brother back to normal.  
"I'm so sorry, TK." he cried into his injured brothers shoulder. "So, so, so sorry..."  
Unlike BlackSkullGreymon, BlackMetalGarurumon was not driven solely by anger. He need Matt to give him the energy to fight. So with Matt back to normal, the beast dropped into Gabumon, leaving only BlackSkullGreymon to be subdued. Upon reaching the ground, Gabumon quickly warp-digivolved to MetalGarurumon.  
With four megas versus one, the battle would soon be over. BlackSkullGreymon saw this, too, and decided it was time for a last resort. He turned away from the digimon and started towards the children.  
"Fusion Breath."  
Everyone scattered from the flame, but Sora couldn't move fast enough. Time stopped as Tai dove to throw her out of the way. He managed to avoid the flame, but the heat was still such that it burned his bare skin. He fell down, with Sora underneath, screaming. After the heat wave, he jumped up, rage in his eyes, this time directed at his digimon.  
The fury created a sort of feedback loop inside BlackSkullGreymon. The anger gave him the power to defeat any enemy, so the anger was destroying him. He grew more and more powerful as he became less and less. The monster expanded, growing thiner with every foot of growth, until finally, BlackSkullGreymon disbanded into data that reformed on the ground in front of Tai as Koromon.  
A collective sigh leapt from the group as their digimon returned to normal. They all ran over and congratulated their digimon on fighting such a long fight. Every single one was exhausted and starving. They started to make their way back to primary village, leaving Tai, Koromon and Sora staking there.  
"Tai?" she whispered. His burned back was still facing her, putting an unwanted wall between them. She thought she saw his body shake slightly. She gently lay her hand on his shoulder, causing him to spin around and into her arms. She looked him in the eyes and they shared a very deep kiss, in continuation of last time. They both started crying, having found each other again. She grabbed hold of his arm as they headed out to primary village to meet up with the others.

They didn't know how hungry they were until they all arrived at Genai's underwater home. Matt hadn't eaten in three days; Tai and Sora in five. As could be imagined, the ate everything they could. Genai set up a nice banquette where they ate their fill, which was a lot, provided they tell him all about their counter-crest findings. Izzy did most of the talking, and Tai did most of the eating.  
"Well, firstly..." Genai started when they were finished with their story. "Congratulations, Sora and Biyomon, on unlocking your Mega form. I'm sure you'll get much use out of Albatramaromon." They all shared a smile and a round of applause. "Now," Genai started after they went back to eating. "You've seen what these counter-crests can do. They have tremendous power; such that you do not know how to control. Before anything else, Matt, Tai, you have to learn to control your anger and your pain. This world won't be safe without it." They both agreed, but still glared at each other. They couldn't forgive the other. Genai sensed this tension. He excused himself, saying he would return when they had worked out their problems. He knew he wouldn't be able to help in these matters.  
They sat in silence after he left. Even those who were not involved sat still, not wanting to provoke anyone. Sora was the first to crack.  
"Matt, I'm really sorry..." she started.  
"No shit?" he mumbled, sarcastically.  
"What do you want me to do?" she cried, almost in tears. Tai grabbed her hand for comfort. "I love you, Matt, I really do. But I just can't be without Tai. I know you saved me. I know you were there for me. I know you love me. But I can't do it any more!"  
"What're you talking about?" he asked, surprised.  
"Yeah, what're you talking about?" Joe said from the end of the table.  
"At your Christmas show, there was a support falling and you stopped it."  
"Sora, I hate to say it, but I don't think you were watching." Izzy voiced. "They're right, it doesn't seem right."  
"Izzy, you don't have to do this, I know Matt saved me."  
Izzy snapped his fingers and jumped. "I remember now! Matt did protect you, but it was Tai who caught the pole. Matt turned over to cover you from things falling, but Tai saved you both."  
She tried hard to remember. She was running out while it was all falling apart. Suddenly, she felt arms grab her and pull her in. She heard a big crack and creaking as she could only assume the central support snapped. She waited there for her and her saving arms to be crushed under the weight, but it never happened. She opened her eyes and turned to see Matt standing there with the support lying harmless on the ground next to him. He grabbed her hand and dragged her away before she had time to see anymore. When they had cleared the damage zone, she turned and through her arms around Matt, on the verge of tears. As she pulled her head off his shoulder, their eyes met, and she did the only thing she could think to do.  
She kissed him.  
In all honesty, it was only her second real kiss. Tai had kissed her once as a child, but that was years ago and just as part of a game. A simple damsel in distress role play, and, much to Sora's distaste, she was the damsel. When Tai finally climbed to the top of the jungle gym, a feat that could easily have been done faster by a South- American Tree- Sloth, he said that all his stories said that the knight had to kiss the princess before it was over. Sora bet him a dollar he wouldn't kiss her. Faced with a real problem, Tai bit back his fear of cooties and quickly kissed her to save the dollar. But that kiss was nothing in comparison to her true first with Matt. She felt so safe in his embrace. They pulled away and she put her head on his shoulder again and watch as Raidramon flattened the control spire. Tai briefly met her eyes, and she was startled at how much pain was in them. He broke contact and looked down at Agumon.  
"Agumon," he growled. "Take 'em out."  
Could that pain in his eyes been from seeing her with Matt; him getting the credit for all the things Tai did? She now looked over at her hero, holding her hand, next to her.  
"Is it true?"  
He sighed. "Yes."  
"Why didn't you say anything?"  
"I shouldn't have had to." he said, looking back at her. "It shouldn't have been needed to be said."  
She looked to Matt.  
"Did you know?" she accused.  
He said nothing.  
"Matt," she started in a manner similar to scolding.  
"What was I s'posed to say!?" he exploded, standing up. "Was I just s'posed to tell the woman I love, the girl of my dreams that it was someone else who was there when she needed me most?! Someone that I knew she loved?!" His eyes seemed for an instant to turn dark, but quickly returned to their normal shade of blue. He threw his napkin down.  
"I'm done with this!" he screamed, storming out of the dining room and down the hall towards the wing where he, Mimi, Joe, TK, Davis and Cody were sleeping. Tears came to Sora's eyes and she went flying out the door down the other hall where her, Tai, Kari, Izzy, Yolei and Ken resided, leaving everyone else sitting in a confused stupor. Kari leaned over to TK and whispered in his ear:  
"You should go talk to him."  
TK shook his head. "He doesn't tell me anything about these things. He'd might just get mad and...well...you know." TK tried, but he simply wasn't very quiet. Mimi, who was sitting next to him, heard this problem and decided to solve it herself. Tai assumed the same duty and decided to be the one there for Sora. They both stood up together.  
They each froze for a second, eyes locked. Tai, for the first time, saw Mimi's motives. She felt something for Matt. Something, though not as strong as Tai for Sora, but something that easily could become very similar. With a small nod, he headed off after his love, and she after her's, leaving the rest in silence. Davis just shrugged and picked up another roll.

Matt leaned against the door to his room, locking all outsiders where they belonged. He tried his hardest to keep himself sealed, but the water found a way through his shields. In small drops, the tears rolled down his chin, where they then fell empty to the floor. He had lost her. The only one he'd ever cared about; who he ever would. And to his best friend! The rage and betrayal mixed inside him, simply canceling out to despair. He didn't know how he could live anymore. He was now truly alone.  
A knock on the door startled, but didn't surprise him. He expected TK to try to talk to him, to comfort him. Even though he hated to turn him away, he just couldn't face his younger brother when it came to these things. Not girls, no, but loss and heartbreak. He wanted nothing more than for TK's life to be happy, that he refused to talk about sad, yet existent things. He didn't think TK could handle another pain as big as the divorce. So he kept his problems hid.  
"Go away, TK." he growled through the door, just barely able to keep the sobs out of his voice.  
"Matt?" a little voice chirped through the door. "Are you there, Matt? It's Mimi. Please let me in, Matt."  
'Mimi?' he thought, quite confused. "What do you want?"  
"Matt? Can you hear me, Matt? Please open the door." Even through his tears he smiled lightly at her oblivion. He always had a soft spot for Mimi. Even though everyone else thought she was a huge airhead, he always hoped and knew there was something more. He turned around and opened the door, letting the pink one in.  
The lights in the room were off, silhouetting her against the lights of the hallway. He had literally never seen her in this light before. He felt rather odd. Conflicted, even. "What do you want?" he repeated.  
She sighed as she entered the room. "I want to help you, Matt."  
He turned his back to her and crossed his arms. "You wouldn't know anything about it."  
"I would too!" she yelped, putting her hand on his shoulder and drawing in right behind him. "I've known him forever, Matt, and I've always kinda liked him. He's smart and funny and extremely talented, and I've watched him grow everyday, and sometimes, I've grown with him."  
'Its gotta be Joe. Or, maybe Izzy? Anyways it's gotta be a digidestined.' Matt wasn't stupid, he caught that much. Who else would have grown with her?  
"Do you remember the other day when you...well," she started, carful not to say anything that might set him off.  
"Shot TK and kidnapped Sora?" he finished bitterly.  
"Do you remember that I was crying in the corner?" she continued, ignoring his spite. She took his silence to mean no. "Well, I had just found out that he has been dating my best friend, and neither of them thought enough to tell me."  
Matt started to piece things together. Sora was Mimi's best human friend, and she had been dating...  
"Mimi..." he sighed.  
"Through all my mix-ups and all the times I've fallen down, he's alway been there for me. And I promise that from now on, I'll always be there for him." She wrapped her arms around him, pulling him even closer. "For you." She lay her head on his shoulder and in five words melted his frozen heart.  
"That's all that I want."  
He could do it. Mimi? He always thought she was cute, but this was just too much. He never let himself think about her because she lived with her parents in New York. He didn't want to get attached to someone so physically distant. And after the christmas fiasco, he couldn't help but fall in love with Sora. Mimi never had a chance. But maybe it wasn't fair to group the two together. Mimi was stunningly beautiful, probably more so than Sora, and had an amazing voice, definitely better than Sora's. But Sora was the physical embodiment of love itself. Perhaps he had, in a way, been suckered into a scam. Maybe, he never really loved her at all...  
While Matt was discovering himself, Mimi was getting more and more worried at his silence. She felt tears coming on and turned to go, miserable that she had lost someone, too. But she didn't get far before a pair of hands grabbed her wrists and dragged her back. The proximity to his body was maintained, but this time she was seeing his face. They looked right into each others eyes and slowly leaned in, meeting in the middle in a collection of positive emotion.  
"I think I could love you." Matt said after the kiss had broken.  
And with that they kissed again, falling back onto Matt's bed.

"What's wrong with me?" she said as Tai entered her bedroom. Even though her back was to the door, she knew it was Tai. She just knew. "How could I be so selfish?" She started to cry, crossing her arms and putting her hand on her face. Tai walked up behind her and put his hands on her hips.  
"Hey, there's no way you can be nice to everyone. Matt should know this; he's just being a diva."  
"It's not Matt." she sobbed. "Not anymore. I was so...caught up in Matt that I forgot about Mimi. Tai, she told me...before the show...she told me...she...loved him...and I stole his heart. Stole it and burned it right in front of her eyes. Now Matt loves me and will never see Mimi and I just ruined my best friends hopes of love. Thats why I'm selfish, Tai. I saw my own heart over anyone else's. That's why."  
He put his head on her shoulders, pulling her closer. "Sora, all you do is care about others. This whole adventure, you've only been concerned with making everyone happy, even if it meant hurting me." He spun her around and put a hand under her chin. "And don't count Mimi out yet. She went back there to talk to him. She looked...well, empowered. I don't think you'll have anything to worry about."  
She looked up into his eyes, those deep, dark eyes. She lost herself everyday in them. She stared for what seemed like forever, but Tai didn't care; he loved her eyes just the same. Finally, she wrapped her arms around his back and cried into his shoulder.  
"I love you, Tai." she said through the tears and through his shoulder. "Promise me me you'll never leave me."  
He reached up and stroked her beautiful hair. "'Til death do us part." he whispered back.  
When Kari came to check on them and hour later, she found them on Sora's bed, the way they had been in the cave.  
Her head on his chest.  
His hand in her hair.  
Her hand in his hand  
His heart in her heart.  
The only way they felt safe,  
And the way they should be...  
Would be.  
Forever.

Dont for get to R+R, and I'll hopefully see you in my next series, focussing mainly on the counter crests. Keep munchin.


End file.
